Generally, a fixing band comprises a band body of a strip shape and a buckle mounted on the base at one lengthwise end of the band body, and is used for tightening a cyclist's shoe on each pedal of a bicycle.
The band body comprises the base carrying the buckle, an insertion end to be inserted into the buckle, and a shoe binding portion positioned between the base and the insertion end and connecting with the instep of the cyclist's shoe. The buckle is placed at one side of the shoe on the pedal and the band body is wound around the instep of the shoe from below the pedal so that the binding portion abuts against the instep, and the insertion end is inserted into the buckle, pulled to tighten the band body onto the shoe, and retained to the buckle, thereby fixing the shoe on each pedal.
The conventional band has a body, base, binding portion and insertion end, located along a straight-line. On the other hand, the instep of the shoe is sloped downwardly from the ankle side to the toe side so as to be fit to an external form of the cyclist's foot.
Accordingly, the straight band body, when tightened on the shoe, contacts at the edge at the ankle side with the upper portion of the sloped instep so as to raise the edge at the toe side from the surface of the instep. In other words, the binding portion cannot contact throughout with the instep and is apt to slide down along the sloped instep. Hence, a problem is created in that the band body loosens and does not ensure restraint of the shoe onto the pedal. Also, the band body, when contacting only at the edge at the ankle side with the instep, causes the cyclist to feel a severe pain in the instep of his foot. As a result, a cyclist cannot forcibly tighten the band body, so that the binding portion becomes slippery.